Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-08
In the New Hampshire Legisla-
ture Still Continues.
Frank Jones Positively Denies the
Charges Made Against Him,
While Legislative Members De.
clare they are True.
CONCORD. Oct. ,

CONCORD, Oct. 7.
The hearing on the alleged attempted
bribery of the members OF the New Hamp-
shire House in connection with the railroad
bills was resumed before the committee at
Concord this morning. There were several
witnesses and spectators in atten lance, the
latter beirg attentive listeners TO the testimo-
| ny as it was given. Mr.. Moore of Nashua,
! interrogated the witnesses called at his re-
| quest.
The first witness was Moses Spotford, rep.
resentative for Danville. He said: TIE
southern part of Danville had but one daily
mail and the business men there wanted an
other. They came to me and | asked them
what they wanted. They said if Mr.. Jones
would back the petition they thought they
could get an additional mail. One of them, a
Mr.. Collins, of the shoe factory, saw George
E. Dame, superintendent of the New En-
gland mail service, and Dame and | went to
see Frank Jones. He said if we would get
up pe titon he would back it. The next
week they gave me the petition asking for
morning mail between Dauville and Plais-
tow. took MIR. Collins with me to Frank
Jones and we handed him the petition. |
said, you said you would back the petition
for d morning mail if we would get one up
4
like to have you back it, Jones said, now |
am square on this. If you'll help US we'll
| help YOU He either said us or me- |
don't recall which. Jones then talked with
Mr., Collins 10 or 20 minutes and the latter
| inally said, Il guess we better let this rest
tonight. took the petition from the table
where it lay and said, Il guess you had better
back it, MIR. Jones, on Its merits Jones
SAID he thought it would require some effort
but he guessed he could put it through if |
would help them. | said, we are in the
midst of an investigation and don't wish to
pledge myself He said, Il don't wish you
to pledge yourself | then went out. He
did not sign the petition. | next saw Mr..
Jones on the street IN Concord the other
night, and he said that if said what Mr..
Moore of Nashua said did in the House
was liar. told him stated the facts as
they were and that | didn't say that he
! (Jones) asked for my vote. Jones said that
Mr.. Moore had said 20 and that he was a
! liar" To MIR. Mason: MIR. Collins went
| to Jones' room with me the second time. He
| came to me the morning he LETT for home and
SAID, Don't say a word about that converse
ton we had that evening in Mr.. Jones' ROOM
didn't intend to but it WAS out then" To
Mr. Stone: There were two men in Jones'
room when we entered, but they soon left.
/ w men COllluS dshFu iuS w say HOlDiuS VI UuE
talk, as it was little late, | hardly knew
what to say, so said nothing. Mr.. Brown,
representative for RAYMOND, was the first
person who told of Jones conversation. That
was the next day, and Collins didn't ask me
to say nothing of it until the day following
| thst."
Mr. Moore then stated that there were
other witnesses whom he desired to have
subpnnas issued for. They would be in
| Concord before next week.
Edward A. Walker, member of the
House for Walpole, was the next witness. 81
was summoned to appear here one evening be-
fore the vote vas taken to po tpone the Ha-
zen bill. Thomas Dinsmore came to me at
| the hotel and said there was gentleman up
stairs who wanted to see me. | went up and
there met Mr.. Barker of Keene. We had
some conversation and told them that
! should vote for the Atherton bill They
asked me if there was anything that would
induce me to change my mind. told him l
did not think there was. Barker held up two
| fingers and asked me it that would be any
inducement. | told him that perhaps | might
| be induced to stay out and not vote at all.
Barker then held up three fingers and asked
me what would stay out tor. told him
that if they would bring up to my room say
Ave thousand dollars | would consider It
want to sell out very bad. | didn't see them
again. Barker is the United States marshal
for this district. The conversation between
us began on railroad matters. | cannot give
the exact words of the talk. They said if
they could raise the wind they would come
up and see me. | never saw Dinsmore be-
fore this interview, but had seen Barker dur
ing the session and had talked with him some
on the railroad question previously. Dins-
more and Barker requested that | should
keep their offer secret. Trey did not say
that they were acting for anybody. Mr..
Moore of Nashua, is the first man that re-
lated this talk to. l voted to Indefinitely
postpone the Hazen bill. If they had brought
me FIVE thousand dollars don't know wheth-
/ er should have taken it or not. | didn't
wait st my room the next morning for them,
| and they guessed didn't want TO change my
opinion. l considered that that ended it,"
Frank E. Cram, representative for Pitts
| field, was sworn. He said that Charles San
| born of London. came to his house st 80 on
the morning OF the day that the first vote on
the Hazen bill was taken. He made no d.
rect offer, but he discussed railroad matters
generally. He gave me TO understand by
| holding up his fingers that the members were
| getting from one thousand to two thousand
dollars for their votes on the railroad bills.
David o. Sherberne, representative for
| Piusfe6, VAS sworn: Il have never been
approached Improperly by anybody. About
six o'clock on the morning the vote was taken
on the motion to postpone the Hszen bill,
Sanborn came to my house. [ told my wife
to tell him / was out. went out the front
door while he was at the back door. | did
not want to talk railroad with him. / thought
| that was what he came for. He called sec
oud time and third. | saw him afterwards
at the hotel that morning. He said be want
| ed to see me. / asked him if he wanted to
talk railroad. He said yes. l then told him
would not talk railroad. We then parted
and have had no talk with him since. r
understood that Ssnborn was in favor of the
Boston & Maine road"
This concluded the testimony of the morn
ing.
| Charles A. Sinclair said that he had been
assured that he should be allowed to testify
! n answer to certain charges that had been